Since the term “poverty porn” first appeared in 1981, much has been said about the exploitation of human suffering to inspire charitable giving. Yet for all that we’ve learned over the last four decades, many organizations still struggle to communicate their impact in a way that authentically represents the issue and preserves the dignity of those affected by it. 

How do we portray our program participants as their own agents of change, while admitting that they also need our help? How do we emotionally connect our donor to our clients, without simplifying their challenges or minimizing cultural differences?  

In a refreshing take on this provocative issue, Caliopy Glaros invites attendees to move beyond shifts in lexicon and imagery and to embrace methods that both challenge assumptions and inspire empathy.  Attendees with leave this session with an applicable strategy and concrete process they can take back to their organizations and begin utilizing immediately.

Attendees will be able to...
1) understand how exploitative fundraising communications impact our organizations and program participants
2) tell the difference between exploitation, sympathy, and empathy in fundraising communications
3) apply 5 actions to tell more ethical and equitable stories